EPCOT is seeing fewer guests than expected this summer, with many visitors noticing how quiet the park has become. While Walt Disney World Resort typically thrives during the summer with large crowds, guests say the parks have experienced a significant dip in attendance this year. Is the heat scaring families? Or perhaps Universal Orlando Resort’s new Epic Universe is pulling guests away?
A video posted by an EPCOT guest last week showed a startlingly empty walkway during the middle of the day, during what is usually a busy time of year. “When even the Disney tourists can’t handle the Florida heat,” @millennial_mom3 joked. “At least we didn’t wait for anything.”
@millennial_mom3 At least we didn’t wait for anything 🤷🏻♀️ #disney #disneyworld #epcot #vacation #florida #hot
In the footage, only a few families are seen strolling between the World Celebration neighborhood and the Mexico World Showcase Pavilion—an area that’s usually crowded with visitors rushing to popular EPCOT attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Frozen Ever After.
Many other Disney fans shared similar experiences from across the Central Florida parks.
“All weekend we had 10-20 mins wait even for Tron and Tiana’s Bayou,” @missbrunettee1 reported. “Hollywood [Studios] was dead.”
“We went to EPCOT yesterday and it was great!” @ivywilloww agreed.
Some even reported that lighter crowds meant big savings on hotel reservations.
“I was wondering why I got a $400 Grand Flo reservation for next Saturday,” said @thecurrentadventure.
Many social media users blamed the heat for pushing people away.
“It’s horrible right now, feels like Arizona in the summer,” said @patsy4178.
“I’m a local and I cannot handle Disney in the summer,” @alexx_shmalex replied. “I’ll be back in late September!”
The sweltering temperatures could be discouraging crowds from visiting the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks, especially during the peak summer months when the sun is at its hottest.
However, some are pointing to the opening of Universal’s Epic Universe as a potential reason for EPCOT’s crowd decline. “
It ain’t the heat,” @studio6126 commented. “Everyone is at EPIC.”
“Trust me,” @alyssaberardi5 replied. “Everyone’s at Epic.”
Walt Disney World Resort doesn’t release live crowd numbers, so comparing this year’s attendance with last year’s is impossible. However, the Central Florida Disney park has released several simultaneous discounts, suggesting that it’s trying to entice visitors to make unplanned vacations.
Have you visited Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park recently? In the comments, share your experience with the crowd levels with Disney Fanatic.
